Forge and Steel

"The atmosphere in Orario seems to be getting heavier lately."

At the entrance of the Hephaistos familia, Tsubaki and Pyrion looked out at the streets of Orario, which appeared emptier than usual.

"Miss Tsubaki, the current situation is mainly due to the increase in murders and robberies inside and outside the Dungeon," one of the familia's blacksmiths shared the rumors currently circulating in the city.

"I heard about that, but isn't that relatively normal?" For Tsubaki, who had lived in Orario for a long time, deaths in and outside the Dungeon were usually nothing out of the ordinary.

For adventurers who delve into the Dungeon daily, it shouldn't be strange to encounter unexpected situations or die at the hands of other adventurers—that's nothing unusual in Orario.

"I suppose they found other strange things, didn't they, Julan?" Looking at the blacksmith, Pyrion asked with a smile.

"Yes, Captain Pyrion," Julan replied, nodding seriously as his face darkened slightly. "The murders are much more atrocious than usual, and from what I've gathered, most of the bodies found weren't stripped of their belongings..."

"So, the murders weren't committed for robbery, but simply to kill?" Pyrion said with a grim expression.

"Exactly; it seems the main objective is violence itself," Julan responded, his voice low and worried. "Most of the victims were low-level adventurers or people without strong connections in the city. They left no trace of taking anything valuable—just... bodies."

Tsubaki frowned and crossed her arms. "Killing just for the sake of killing? That doesn't fit with the usual Dungeon thieves. This seems much more calculated... and twisted."

Pyrion and Tsubaki exchanged glances. For them, as experienced adventurers, danger was a constant, but these acts set off their alarms.

"What else have you heard, Julan?" Tsubaki asked, her expression losing any trace of relaxation.

"Well, there's talk of a symbol—it resembles the emblem of the old group 'Evilus'..." explained Julan, his voice trembling slightly.

"Evilus..." Pyrion's eyes grew deeper, and a solemn look appeared on his face.

A grim expression also appeared on Tsubaki's face. Clearly, the term "Evilus" was something familiar to the people of Orario.

An association that was anything but pleasant.

"It seems we'll have to control the Dungeon outings; they'll have to be done in larger groups..." Quickly making a decision, Pyrion didn't hesitate and issued an order.

"I'll inform the rest of the familia, Pyrion-sama." With a nod, Julan immediately obeyed the order.

In the Hephaistos familia, only two people can decide on matters this important: one is the head of the familia, the goddess Hephaistos, and the other is the familia's captain, Pyrion.

For this captain, there is no doubt that everyone in the familia is convinced; whether it's strength, talent, or skills, Pyrion excels in everything, and for several years now, he has led the familia perfectly.

"Sighhh... the city seems about to get even more complicated." Crossing his arms, Kaylon sighed in annoyance.

Tsubaki, at his side, nodded with a frown. "It's enough dealing with the Dungeon monsters without having to worry about killers and evil groups now." Her arms crossed, and a spark of irritation gleamed in her gaze.

"Well, we can't control everything, but we can prepare," replied Pyrion with a seriousness he rarely showed. "The Hephaistos familia won't hide if this becomes a bigger threat."

"As always," Tsubaki said with a slight smile full of pride.

Their familia may not be an exploration familia, but when it comes to combat power, they aren't left behind.

There's a reason they have two of the strongest adventurers in Orario.

"HAHAHA, after all, we're covered in steel," said Pyrion with a hearty laugh.

...

"So, to what do I owe the presence of my mighty captain?" asked Hephaistos, settling into her chair, her eyes sparkling with a playful glint as she looked at Pyrion.

"Hephaistos... you sure like to tease me," he replied, showing a bitter smile as he took a seat across from his goddess's desk.

"Hehehe, it's just that you're adorable when you get embarrassed," Hephaistos laughed, with a motherly smile on her lips. To her, who had changed his diapers and watched him grow since he was a baby, Pyrion was more than just a loyal warrior or leader; he was like her child, someone she loved as if he were her own flesh and blood.

To Hephaistos, everyone in her familia was her "children," but deep in her heart, she knew that only Pyrion and Tsubaki held a special place.

They had grown under her care, and each represented a unique part of her life. With Pyrion, her love was especially deep; she herself had found and taken him in, witnessing each step of his growth. Tsubaki, on the other hand, had repeatedly demonstrated her loyalty and strength, becoming an essential pillar of her familia.

"So," Hephaistos began, with a touch of warmth in her voice, "tell me, Pyrion. What's happening outside that's brought my boy to my door?"

Lately, Pyrion spends most of his time in the Dungeon and the forge. Hephaistos usually only meets with him at mealtime.

"Well, I've come to update my status," Pyrion said plainly, going straight to the point.

Hephaistos raised an eyebrow, a barely noticeable smile appearing on her lips. "Updating your status? Should I be worried about the amount of work you've been taking on lately?"

"Maybe a little," Pyrion admitted with a smile. "But you know how it is... between the Dungeon, missions, and the forge, it's easy to lose track of time. However, given everything happening in Orario, I wanted to make sure I'm in top shape."

Hephaistos nodded, clearly pleased to see her captain being cautious. "You're prudent, and that eases my mind. Besides, I must admit I'm curious to see how much you've grown since the last time we updated your status."

Pyrion let out a light laugh. "Then shall we get to it?"

Hephaistos nodded and stood up. She, too, was quite curious to see how much her son had improved since the last time.

Without hesitation, Pyrion naturally took off his shirt while still seated in the same chair.

Obviously, there was no shame on his part; after all, Hephaistos had changed his diapers.

"Alright, let's see how much you've improved." With a small needle, Hephaistos didn't delay and let a drop of her blood fall onto Pyrion's back.

Soon, a golden glow emerged from Pyrion's back, and with Hephaistos's exclamation, the small ritual was complete.

"No matter how many times I see it, it always amazes me," Hephaistos exclaimed with admiration and pride as she looked at her son's status.

"I want to see!" Eager to see his status, Pyrion looked at Hephaistos with anticipation.

"Hehehe, alright, let me translate it." Looking at the eager Pyrion, Hephaistos chuckled softly and then took a scroll and quickly translated it.

"Here it is!" Taking the scroll, Hephaistos handed it to Pyrion, who immediately buried his head in it.

[Name]: Pyrion

[Race]: High Human

[Level]: Lvl.6

[Ability Scores]: Strength: SS1150 | Endurance: SS1199 | Dexterity: SS1002 | Agility: SS1000 | Magic: S902

[Magic]: [▯][▯][▯]

"Surtur"

· Enchantment

· Surrounds the user with a terrifying black flame, greatly enhancing the user's physical abilities.

[Skill]

"Son of the Forge and Steel"

· Doubles the durability of weapons and armor he creates.

· Allows any magic to be channeled into the weapons he forges.

· Doubles the sharpness of weapons he creates.

[Skill]

"Burning Heart"

· Enhances physical regeneration and endurance in combat.

· Increases the rate of magic recovery, allowing for constant use.

[Skill]

"Forge"

· Elemental Affinity: Can adapt creations to resist or channel specific elements (fire, ice, electricity, etc.).

· Material Perfection: Any material can be brought to perfection. Pyrion can maximize its performance, achieving an ideal balance of hardness and flexibility in his creations.

· Resonance: Being one with metal, he can detect even the slightest defect in any weapon or armor.

[Development Abilities]

|Blacksmith D| Abnormal Resistance G| Mage I| Mystery H| Magic Resistance H| Strong Body H|

Examining his status closely, Pyrion soon nodded in satisfaction. It seems his recent ventures into the Dungeon had borne fruit, and his stats improved once again.

As for the rest of his status, it seemed the same; no changes in his incredibly useful skills that complement each other well, nor in his magic that doubles his combat capability.

His development abilities, except for Strong Body, which seems to have evolved, remain unchanged.

Leaving the rest aside, his status is definitely one of the most luxurious in all of Orario.

Whether it's his skills or his magic, it gives him a tremendous advantage over adventurers of the same level and even over those of higher levels.

It must be said that Pyrion was blessed with great talent from birth in this life.

Hephaistos was greatly surprised when, at the tender age of five, Pyrion already possessed magic and a skill.

This is extremely rare even among all the mortals of Genkai.

Of course, while Pyrion's abilities astonished her at the time, what surprised her even more was Pyrion's race.

High Human.

An extremely rare race that was believed to have disappeared long ago.

Besides being an almost mythical race, it has countless advantages over normal humans.

Enhanced physical abilities, improved magical affinity, enhanced potential, and a much longer lifespan.

That was truly a gratifying surprise for Hephaistos, but putting aside the power benefits it would bring to her son, what truly made her happy was knowing that her son would be with her much longer than she had thought.

She had once believed that her time with Pyrion would be extremely brief; however, to her blessing, high humans have a lifespan comparable to that of high elves.

There's no problem living up to a thousand years.

"It seems you just need a great feat to ascend to level 7." Looking at her son's terrifying attributes, Hephaistos sighed in amazement.

It looks like soon her family will have a powerful level 7.

"Umu." Nodding with a smile, Pyrion knew he had to prepare to achieve that feat.

Looking at her son with affection, Hephaistos gently placed her hand on his shoulder.

"I've lost count of how many times you've exceeded my expectations," continued Hephaistos, her maternal tone mixed with subtle pride. "Remember that you're not just forging weapons, but also your own destiny."

Pyrion smiled, feeling the weight of those words. "I'll keep that in mind, Hephaistos. With your support and that of the entire Hephaistos family, I know I can achieve it."

Pyrion had long since stopped considering himself a stranger in this world; to him, the Hephaistos family was his home, and Hephaistos was his mother—something he would protect with his life.

"By the way, now tell me, is it true that Orario has had strange activity lately?" After giving Pyrion some more advice, Hephaistos burned the status parchment and moved on to more serious topics.

"Well... it seems that darkness in Orario is getting out of control." Putting on his robe again, Pyrion spoke with a serious expression.

"Is it serious?" Sitting in her main chair, Hephaistos asked in a heavy tone.

Orario has always coexisted with darkness; where there is good, there will always be evil.

This isn't the first time darkness has tried to come to the surface, but it usually gets crushed before it can create chaos.

"I have a feeling that this time it won't be so simple." Pyrion knew what kind of disaster the future held; however, he couldn't just say that the dark faction would reappear without any proof.

After a moment of silence, Pyrion continued, "There are rumors that in the places where the murders have occurred, the symbol of Evilus has appeared multiple times..."

"The symbol of Evilus..." Hephaistos' face darkened upon hearing that name. It was evident that she didn't like that group of psychotic fanatics one bit.

"You don't have to worry, Hephaistos," Pyrion assured her with a serious and determined face. "I won't allow those rats to cause the slightest harm to our family."

His voice resonated with determination, and the confidence in his ability to protect his loved ones was unshakeable. Hephaistos, although still concerned, found comfort in Pyrion's firmness. She knew that he was not only strong but also intelligent and cautious.

"Jejeje, then I leave it to you." With a beautiful smile, Hephaistos looked at Pyrion with affection.

"At your command, Hephaistos-sama." With a smile, Pyrion stood firm before his goddess.

Pyrion, who had tasted the love of a true family, was not willing to lose it, whether it was the dark faction, evil gods, or living disasters; he would take care of them.